Fifty Two Flavours
by Bloodypleasures
Summary: AU, BreakAlice - "You don't like ice cream?" Alice nodded, wondering what was so weird about it, and she nervously blinked when he grinned widely at her. "In that case, I'll make it my goal to find a flavour you like."
1. Chapter 1

**Umm.. yeah, so this is a new story. It's AU and in our century, because I wanted to write a Pandora Hearts story in our time. I hope it's going to work out, and that you will enjoy it. **

**Fifty-two flavors**

**Chapter 1**

"There he is again." Sharon muttered to her friend, Alice. Said friend looked up from her strip and eyed him. The 'he' her friend mentioned, is a guy with white hair covering one side of his face and only showing off one red eye. Alice had the growing suspicion her friend fancied him.

"So go and ask him what he wants, then."

"I can't, he's with friends." Yeah, often he just came here to meet up with three of his friends. Alice thought they were idiots. The blonde guy always cat-called every girl who worked here, there was a nerd with them, then you had this guy who was in need of a new hair cut, and the white-haired guy who probably wanted to be all emo with his hair covering his face.

"…You work here. It's normal for you to go and ask if they want something to drink. Maybe they want an ice cream." Well, that's not true, for ice cream most people came up front and bought one.

Alice sighed when Sharon shook her head and went to help another customer. Now for some facts; Alice was eighteen years old, and currently following classes in journalism. She got this horrifying (according to her) job because Glen, her stepfather, thought she should get a little more independent. Her mother, Lacy, died about six years ago, and since she didn't know her biological father, she just went and lived with Glen. At the time Alice hadn't been in the mood for searching, and took the first job available, which happened to be in an ice cream shop which didn't pay too bad.

Her friend, Sharon, worked here as well, even though she was from a very rich family. She claimed this was fun. Alice countered that.

Alice swallowed her pride and walked over to the group of idiots, trying not to pull at the new uniform too much. She hated skirts. Her boss, Lottie, thought it would be cute if they wore something girly…

"Do you want something or are you going to sit here all day?" Alice announced and the blonde guy chuckled.

"Hello there, our favorite maid~"

"I'm not a maid. What do you want?"

The white haired guy eyed her for a second before going through the card with his four-eyed friend. Alice waited impatiently as the blonde guy continued to irritate her. Only moments from now the no-good-hair guy would join in.

"Why not work at a maid café, then? It pays better and you certainly have the right looks~"

"Because I don't feel like selling myself to idiots like you."

"But what about the pay? Surely you must need to money, seeing your age. Are you in college?"

"Just give me your damn orders already!" Alice sneered, getting just about enough. Oh yeah, did she forgot to tell she had a very quick temper? Hot guys or not, she wouldn't be treated like some dumb twit. The blonde guy whistled and the guy next to him adjusted his glasses, scowling at his friends.

"Ouch, did I hit a nerve?"

Alice glared at the blonde guy. "No, but I have better things to do than to listen to your ramblings." Seeing they didn't give up yet, Alice sighed, getting frustrated. Should she just leave?

"Just do four latte's to go, that's fine." The white haired guy said, glaring playfully at the blonde guy, before handing her the card. Alice nodded at him and walked back to give Sharon the order.

"You give it to them." She hatefully said and Sharon sighed.

"You'd think their behavior would go with their looks."

"Oh but they do." Alice muttered and she scooped an ice cream for a kid who looked like he was in heaven. Alice smiled at him and received the money, before turning back to Sharon, who was doubting whether she should go or not.

"I'll kick you if you don't go right now. Your nervous shifting is edging me." Sharon pouted and walked off, nervously giving their prepared lattés to-go and smiling shyly when the blonde guy started making comments on her as well.

Alice sighed, reminded by a few good things. She got some praise from some teachers, that was always good, and spring vacation was due in two weeks. She'd still have to work, but at least she'd be free afterwards. Perhaps she could ask if Oz and Elliot wanted to go to some theme park. Maybe Sharon wanted to go too, she knew Oz had a thing for her. Though Elliot probably wanted Reo to come as well, and Alice didn't like him too much. Somehow she couldn't see his eyes through her glasses, and that reminded her too much of a horror movie with psycho's. But in a theme park it wouldn't be bad to have a lot of people; most of the time it's more fun.

"Who's the lucky guy?"

Alice looked up from her daydreaming about theme parks and all the snacks you could buy there (only to get sick from the rollercoaster's) and looked at the white haired guy who walked over to her with the ugly-hair guy to pay. Now she looked at him, it kinda looked like seaweed. The other two had already left with their drinks.

"Excuse me?"

He smirked. "You were dreaming off. He must be lucky for having a cute girl thinking about him all the time."

Alice scrunched her nose. "I'm not thinking about a guy."

"I'm perfectly fine if you swing the other way. In fact one of my-" He said, cocking his head to one side and nodding to make a serious statement.

"I'm not thinking about a girl either!!" Alice sneered, glaring at him. Up close, she noticed they weren't much older then her, probably around the same age as Sharon. The guy chuckled amused and put some money on the counter. "Keep the change as an excuse." Alice muttered an annoyed thanks and he turned around to leave. As soon as they left Sharon ran up to her. Yup, she definitely had the hots for one of those guys.

"Oh my, even his voice sounds good!" she piped in and Alice shook her head.

"When are you going to plan your wedding?"

"Very funny." Sharon scowled at her, but Alice smirked. She never wasted a chance to tease her three year older friend.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews guys!**

**Chapter 2 **

Xerxes Break sat down on a bench in the park, tired from today's classes. Once in a while, he'd have a hard time concentrating and today was one of those days. Besides, it was Monday, he longed for the weekend to return.

He idly twiddled with a leaf that rested on the bench. Maybe he should just quit studying and just do some full time work. It's not like the library didn't pay him good, and it's not like he didn't enjoy organizing their interesting files and books and reading through them, but he had to get somewhere in life and he was sure it wasn't connected to the library. Maybe he could take up some extra subjects, or study for something big, like law or medicine.

"Damn it Cheshire, come down from there!"

He knew that voice. The way the voice said 'damn' sounded awfully familiar. He already grinned lightly as he turned around halfway to see where it came from. Ah, yes, the girl from the ice cream shop. He wasn't too surprised when he saw she actually dressed quite boyishly instead of the frilly uniforms they need to wear as their uniforms. He watched as she practically swore to a tree, before pointing up and he heard a cat mew disapprovingly.

"You'll be getting no dinner tonight. And you're grounded! If you don't come down here, I'll buy a dog to personally drag you out!"

The cat ignored her.

Xerxes looked around and found a small stand which sold hotdogs. And milk in cartons. He smiled to himself, quickly bought a carton, and walked over to the girl. She noticed him and glared at him. Well, at least he left an impression.

"Trouble?" He inquired and she shook her head defiantly. "It doesn't look like he's coming out any time soon though." He nodded up towards the tree and the girl blushed embarrassedly.

"He will, or I'll _castrate _him."

"Ouch." Xerxes said amused as the girl looked up to the cat for extra emphasis. "Let me help."

"I don't need help."

He shrugged and handed her the carton with milk. "Suit yourself, then." He turned around and walked back to the path, figuring he might as well go home. He had stuff to do, such as the homework he postponed because of the weekend or the entire mess his roommate had left. Liam might look like he was perfectly organized, but looks were deceiving.

"…Wait!" He looked back and saw the cat out of the tree, happily sipping the milk that was in a food box. The girl patted his head and straightened up, getting her wallet.

"I'll pay you back for that,"

"That's okay." He winked and she pouted.

"I don't wanna be indebted, even if it's about something as stupid as a one-dollar carton of milk!"

Ah yes, that did seem like her. Xerxes looked at her in thought for a while, before smiling widely. "Tell you what. You give me your name, and I'll consider that payment."

"My name. Seriously?" She quirked an eyebrow. "I'd rather give you twenty bucks rather than having to hear you idiots call my name during work."

He waved his finger at her and made a semi-serious face. "We'll keep it our secret~"

She cracked a disbelieving grin and shook her head. "I don't know why I care... It's Alice."

"Alice who?"

"Alice."

He grinned again. "Well Alice Alice, my name is Xerxes Break." She shrugged, not saying anything. "I look forward to seeing you again~"

"I bet you do." He smiled amused and turned around, waving as he walked back to the path. Alice frowned lightly before picking her cat up.

"Now for your punishment." She muttered and the cat purred lovingly while rubbing against her shoulder. "Oh, you won't get away with it so quickly."

The rest of the week she took off due to an important project, but the first day she went back to work, Alice resisted the urge to quit her job when she noticed that, no, the idiotic four-some wasn't in the shop, but yes, her favorite white haired guy (she didn't know any other white-haired people besides her deceased grandpa, so yeah, favorite) was loyally sitting there, grinning at her.

"Good afternoon, little Alice!"

"…" Alice walked straight past him and to the back, to put on her uniform. Once she finished and splashed cold water in her face so that she'd calm herself, she walked back and smiled deceivingly at him.

"Can I help you?" He gave an amused chuckle at her and she blushed embarrassedly, her façade not working.

"Chocolate chip perhaps… You're much like some kind of Cinderella." Xerxes said, twirling a napkin in his hand. Alice sighed, wondering what he meant now. Not responding, she scooped up the flavor he wanted and handed him his ice cream. "Just when I thought I figured out on which days you are working and on which days you are free, you're schedule changes again! How can I even think of trying to reach you~"

"You shouldn't reach me, that's all." She murmured, giving him his spare change. He feigned a hurt look.

"Aw, why must you hurt my feelings so? I merely wish to spend some time with you!"

Alice smirked and leaned her elbows on the counter. "I don't spend time with customers."

"Playing hard to get? How exciting, Alice." He countered and she blushed before glaring at him, grabbing a cloth and rubbing the counter.

"I don't play anything. Darn, I shouldn't even have told you my name." She sighed, already regretting it, and more talking to herself. He shrugged.

"I'll make it up to you. I'll buy you an ice cream!"

"Ew." Alice muttered, looking at him distasteful. "I'd rather have you treat me to a hotdog or something." He faked a gasp.

"You don't like ice cream?" Alice nodded, wondering what was so weird about it, and she nervously blinked when he grinned widely at her, his voice lowering to what could be described as a deep whisper. "In that case, I'll make it my goal to find a flavor you like."

Alice blinked before blushing at his tone of voice. He sounded like he was proposing something entirely different. "Thanks but no thanks. I really don't like ice cream."

"Now, we'll just go along with the fifty-two rule."

Alice quirked an eyebrow. "Fifty-two rule?"

"Yeah, this guy once made a bet he'd eat a different ice cream once a week for a year. Fifty-two flavors. If I don't find a flavor you like within those fifty-two flavors, I lost this bet and I will do anything you order me to for a day. Now here," He held out his chocolate chip flavored ice cream. "Lick."

"I ain't licking anything. I need to help some customers and if you want do something to that might please me, you should keep _your_ friends from harassing _my_ friends." She nodded her head to his group of friends who were holding Echo op.

"I'll let you of the hook today if you try it~"

He looked like he meant it though. Alice sighed, leaned forward, grabbed his ice cream and gave it a quick, small lick. Scrunched her nose. "Disgusting."

"Ah, how could you! Don't worry, I love you~" He playfully said to the ice cream. Alice smiled lightly and held it out. "Here, it doesn't even smell nice." He leaned forward to act along and when he got close, Alice pushed the ice cream on his nose lightly.

"Sucker." She chuckled when he pulled a long face because he fell for that ancient old trick, before taking his ice cream back and whipping his nose. Alice shook her head and moved to help some people who just arrived. Fifty-two flavors, at least one a week…He certainly wouldn't keep it to once a week, she could tell. So she might be stuck with him for a half a year, or more? Alice resisted the urge to head-desk herself.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy this chapter :)**

**Chapter 3 **

Friday evening. Her worst. Alice didn't have to work at the weekends so every Friday evening she longed for free time. It wasn't even busy on Friday evenings! Only after eight PM, when people were done having dinner or just came out of the cinema and decided to grab a quick ice cream on the way home. Her cell phone rang loud and obnoxious and to Sharon's pointed stare she went to the back and picked it up, recognizing the voice as her friend's Oz. They talked a little while before she agreed coming over.

"Sharon, can you take over for me? I'm taking an early leave." Sharon nodded as Alice came out of the back in her normal attire.

"Just remember you owe me some, then!" She said, pinching Alice's cheek and she rubbed the spot with a sour face.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go shopping with you or something." Seeing the gleeful expression on her friend's face, she smiled and left the shop, on her way home. Thankfully she only lived about a quarter from the shop and centre, so it didn't take long before she reached home. She noticed her stepfather's car; he was home already. Alice gave a surprised whistle. Glen had a very busy job as a doctor and wasn't home often. Most of the times Alice had to make breakfast herself, but he always made sure he was home to have dinner with her.

"I'm home!" She yelled to no one in particular and smiled when Cheshire jumped off the couch to greet her. "You are still on house arrest little burglar." She said, scratching Cheshire's chin, dropping her bag in the corner and hanging her coat up.

"Glen? Want some coffee?"

She heard an approving sound from his home made office and waked to the kitchen, preparing some coffee and filling a glass of coke for herself.

"Why are you home so early?" She asked as she put the coffee down in front of him. Glen rubbed his eyes and looked at her tiredly. "Shelly didn't leave me alone until I agreed to take the day off. Something about me looking unhealthy."

"Damn right."

"Language."

Alice smiled. One of the reasons she and Sharon were friends were because Glen worked at the hospital that was owned by Sharon's mom, Shelly Rainsworth. They met when Alice had to go to the hospital because of a bone fracture. After that their moms arranged play dates and eventually they grew to be good friends.

"How was your day?" Alice shrugged, indicating it wasn't bad or good.

"Fine, I guess. I should just search a new job." Glen snorted at this. "Well, is it okay if I'm going to Oz's tonight? I'll be back before dinner so you won't starve to death." He grinned and approved. She thanked him and bid her goodbye before running up the stairs and changing in something more comfortable.

"I'm off!" She yelled before running out of the house again, dragging her bike out of the stall and hitting her head on the ridiculously low doorway. She mumbled something about heights and got on her bike, riding off towards Oz's house.

After half an hour, Alice threw the door to the Vesalius garden open, barged inside, closed it and left her bike, and walked into the kitchen, where Oz was waiting with some tea.

"I'm home~" She sing sang and Oz chuckled, handing her the tea. "Couldn't you get here faster? Your stamina is failing you."

"That's because I don't chase after the other gender like you. And I don't have time for sports." Alice cleverly responded.

"Sure. You know anything from Sharon yet?"

"She seems to like someone who regularly comes to the shop. So instead of sulking here you should come more often as well, to get her mind off the guy." Oz pouted.

"Aw man, I waited too long. Maybe I should just ask her out without any turns."

"Yeah you just make sure you keep your hands of Sharon until she agrees going out with you," Alice mumbled while walking out of the kitchen, making sure not to drop her cup of tea as she almost tripped over the carpet, before turning around to greet Oz's older brother, Jack.

"Hey Jack, you don't know where Ada is, do you? I have to return some- AH!" She shouted in shock and dropped her cup of tea when she spotted the familiar white blur on the couch. Xerxes quirked his eyebrows amused.

"What are you doing here!" She shouted, pointing at him. Oz came in and whined when Jack told him to clean up the mess Alice made. Jack ruffled Alice's hair.

"Hey Alice. You know each other?"

"Regretfully!"

"My heart, it breaks." Xerxes feigned a hurt look before standing up and petting the imaginary dust of his clothes. Jack snorted at his friend and looked at him suspiciously.

"He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?" Alice wanted to say yes, and a lot of other lies so she could watch Xerxes getting beat up by her protective friend's brother, but decided not too because she was better than that, and instead just sighed.

"Nah, he only tries to force me to eat ice cream."

"Aha. So you're the girl he's trying to win over."

"WHAT?" Alice fumed and confusedly looked at Xerxes who laughed along with Jack. "Kidding, just kidding, Alice." Jack soothed and he petted her again.

"What exactly did you tell him, you clown!" Alice accused and Xerxes grinned.

"I didn't know you were friends with the brat. Guess I found out one more secret," he ignored her earlier question and turned to Jack. "Well, I have to go… thanks for the documents. I'll see you next week!" He smiled and winked at Alice who blushed embarrassedly before he let himself out of the house. Jack sighed and took the cloth from Oz who had been unsuccessfully trying to get the stain out of the floor.

Oz looked at her curiously. "Something happened?" She shook her head defiantly and Oz sighed, giving up already. There was no use trying to persuade the girl into saying something she wanted to keep a secret. "Come on, I got this great new RP game I haven't tried yet."

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**Short and no fluff, I know. R&R! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Some reviewers reminded me to update.. x] Thanks for the reviews! **

**Chapter 4 **

"One date, promised." Xerxes pleaded. Alice was annoyed. She shouldn't have let him in even though the shop was closed.

"I don't do dates, you know."

"If you want to get straight to the point that's fine with me as well!"

Alice blushed and fisted his arm at that. Stupid clown. Yeah, she developed a nickname for him now. It had been about a month since they officially met, Alice already had ten more flavors down her throat and he seemed to come up with dumber excuses to hang out with her by the day.

Well, he did accomplish some stuff with that. Unbeknownst to Alice, the whole point of this deal had been to know more about the girl. And to make her see ice cream really was delicious. But, in fact, he now knew her age, what she studied, why she worked here and what food she really liked most.

"We have the whole afternoon for ourselves, and it's sunny!" He whined as Alice closed the door to the shop behind her.

"You might have free time, but some of us actually have to study."

"You can't make me believe you have to study when you don't have any exams or projects coming up~" Alice looked at him with a shocked expression. She'd been caught! How did he know that! He grinned knowingly and linked her arm with his, much to her dislike.

"I heard that there are concerts in the park! Let's go there!" It wasn't much of a request because he immediately started dragging her in the direction of the local park. Alice sighed; so much for lounging on the couch today. Now she couldn't particularly say she hated his company, but she'd been getting more than enough pointed stares from Sharon lately and she really wasn't in the need of a cat fight.

She didn't even like the guy! Counter-attack to that was that his presence made her feel slightly happier, like the gleeful feeling she got when Oz would praise her and pat her hair, when Sharon would hug her tightly or when Glen would come home happily after making someone's life a little better.

That kinda feeling. She adored it, but she wouldn't let him know. He would come even more often if she did!

But he was right; it was sunny and there were concerts in the park. She could be there for an hour, or so, it wouldn't matter much. They found a spot to sit in the park and Alice didn't bother to sit on her coat, instead lied down immediately and enjoyed the sun in combination from the music coming from the front. She loved these kind off days as well. Xerxes sat down next to her, however, he did take of his jacket and sat on it, giving her a pointed look when she purposely rubbed her hands on the grass so she'd get light stains on them.

"Didn't think you were the mud-wrestling type." He thought aloud and Alice hummed in disagreement.

"In your dreams. And that doesn't even come close to lying in grass." She countered and he snickered. Alice closed her eyes after rolling up her sleeves.

"Why don't I live in a country where it's warm all the time?" She sighed disapprovingly and Xerxes agreed with a hum.

"You're eighteen, go and move if you like."

"It's not that easy and you know it." She shot back, frowning before relaxing her face again. "Besides, Glen would kill me if I even thought of moving out of the country. He's already having trouble with me considering to move out."

Xerxes smiled and looked at her face. As long as she didn't see it he could stare at her for days, but he guessed she wouldn't be an eternal sleeper. He ran a hand through his hair, noticing someone familiar. That familiar someone noticed him earlier.

"Hey Xerxes, what's up?"

Alice opened on eye to look at the four-eyed guy she recently met. She thought his name was… Liam. Yeah, that was it!

"Hey Alice." Alice grunted in response. Out of the four, he was the least bad. Besides being serious he had a playful side which intrigued Alice because it would come out at the most weirdest times. Like when she practically bashed Xerxes' head into the counter because of his pervy remarks.

After a while he left again and Alice's stomach had begun rumbling. She sat up and rubbed it, before noticing Xerxes absentmindedly touching, itching at the left side of his face, underneath his hair. She frowned and reached out to pull his hand away (scratching was bad! It left red marks.) and he winced back, out of her reach. He gave her an apologetic look at her surprised look.

"What, hiding some huge badass scar beneath that hair?" he didn't respond and Alice sighed. "You know, nowadays it's not so cool as an adult to have haircuts like that. At least I think so."

"It's not something I chose, Alice." Xerxes responded mysteriously and she was silent, thinking that over, until her eyes widened.

"…What happened to your left eye?" She asked him seriously, staring him right in his other eye so she was sure he would have to answer. She faintly heard the band changing in the park but wasn't focused on them.

"I got into a fight. That's all." He answered dimly and Alice shook her head disapproving, indicating she wanted to know more but not asking how, when or why anyway.

"So you are blind on one eye?"

"Perhaps." He shrugged it off, ignoring her stares and watching with curiosity as her expression grew from confused, to realization, to uncomfortable, and lots of other emotions.

"…You lost sight with that one, didn't you?" His silence confirmed her answer. "Was it a birth dysfunction?" He shook his head and laid back down on his elbows. Alice frowned. "So it was from a fight?"

"Quite frankly said, it was cut blind." He said and she looked at him in horror, before she remembered it was rude to gape at someone like that.

"That must have been horrible." She muttered. "It must have hurt a lot."

He shrugged again, feeling awfully dense about the subject. Perhaps he should take his leave for now; he didn't want to ask her why he ever got in a fight like that.. and he couldn't bear confessing that he was slowly getting blind on the other eye as well. He objected against leaving when she placed her hand on his arm and looked at him worriedly.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Sometimes it itches, but that's about it."

Alice nodded and looked around. Seeing no people nearby, she leaned in. "Can… Can I see it?"

"You wouldn't want to see it, trust me." Alice pouted defiantly and he shrugged, allowing her to come a little closer and push his hair out of the way. Her face obviously told her she was surprised with seeing something like this, but at least she didn't cringe. Of course, what he didn't know, is that Alice, whose stepfather worked in a hospital, had seen quite some horrid things in her life, in real and in pictures.

Curiously she let her fingers wander over the outlines of some of the scars it left, not touching the glazed eye. It looked an abnormal mix of blue, but she could definitely see that it had once too been the same red as his other eye.

Normally, he'd have it bandaged, it was a nuisance anyway, but sometimes it would get itchy and he'd wear it without bandage for a day.

He closed his eyes as her fingertips delicately danced over his skin, and she took it back quickly. "Sorry."

"It's okay." he smiled and shook his head, so his hair hid the left side of his face again.

She frowned lightly and gave a small smile. "And here I am complaining because I hit my little toe on the table." Well, that did hurt as well, he had to admit.

"Umm…" She caught his attention with her fiddling and when she noticed he looked at her she blushed lightly. "I guess I can tell you something more, if you'd like." He remained silent but grinned nonetheless. Alice bit her lip before slumping her shoulders.

"I'm not gonna tell you twice, clown." Ah, her usual behavior. "I live with my stepfather Glen. My mom died, and supposedly I had a twin who died at birth. I hate snow because I once got caught in a snow storm and I am afraid of heights." That was enough for the day. Alice frowned distastefully as he smiled widely at her, happy with the extra information.

"Afraid of heights you say? That's too bad, I wanted to go bungee jumping with you some day." Alice shuddered and fixed his laugh with a pointed glare.

"What happened to your father, then?" He carefully asked and she huffed.

"That's none of your business." Ah, he prodded to far. He smiled when she looked at him apologetically and ruffled her hair. They talked a little more about their situations and the weather, all those things, before Alice stood up and dusted her jeans.

"I should go home." She said after a while, not complaining when he walked with her to the point he had to take a different direction.

**

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	5. Chapter 5

**Made under school time.. yeah, math is sooo boring I turn it into this :3**

**Chapter 5**

"Welcome to the bat-cave!" Xerxes sing-sang when Alice entered the apartment. Well, it really did look student-like. Messy, small and dare she say a little cozy. She sighed and dropped her stuff.

"Just get your damn stuff already," Alice murmured when she fingered the probably way too expensive necklace. From it dangled a silver embedded ice cream cone, and she fumbled embarrassedly with it when he winked at her.

A week ago, claiming it was their three month anniversary (was there even a three month anniversary? Hell they didn't even date!) he gave her this necklace and she almost felt like ripping it of and tell him to stuff it somewhere, but the look he gave her back then was way too sweet to actually do that. Instead of thanking him, she had wore a horrified expression and had tripped over her own words multiple times while he moved to her back and forced the neck lace on her.

_Damn him._ Alice blushed again. The worst part was that she never gave him anything and that made her feel guilty, even though she had a reason to be surprised and not have anything.

It's not like he counted every day to every month. It's not their exact three month anniversary. They were just three months and thirty flavors further. He didn't count. Even he isn't that much of a.. dare she say stalker? Nah, she couldn't do that to him.

"I hope that concentrated look you're giving yourself belong to thoughts about me~"

Alice responded by throwing a pillow at him, continuing her thoughts. Why did she invite him and the idiotic threesome to join their trip to the lake? It was only one day; he could miss her that long.

Of course, she didn't even imply it until Sharon shouted it and Xerxes accused her of leaving him while he just gave her such an expensive present (and that did it exactly).

Thankfully Liam and he were the only one who could actually come, because she still wasn't very fond of blondie dee and seaweed dum.

"Catch,"

She snapped out of it in time to catch something papery. It looked fragile, so she didn't clamp it in her hands like she usually would. Unfolding her hands, she stared at a paper bird.

"…"

He grinned at her before throwing some props in the trash can next to the refrigerator. She twirled it in her fingers and looked up at Xerxes. "Thanks, I guess." She muttered confusedly while carefully putting it in her coat. He grinned and went back to… was that Liam screaming he didn't want to get up?

Alice sighed and sat down on the couch, looking for the remote control, fingering the neck lace again. She thought it was ironic, but he thought it would do good remembering him. Not that she had any expensive jewelry except for Lacy's, so she would've remembered him anyway. It was kinda symbolic though.

Not finding the remote control, Alice looked around for something more interesting. She looked and noticed some pictures at the cupboard, and jumped up to inspect them. They must be his family… and _that_ was good blackmail.

She smiled when she noticed a way younger him with a little girl. "Your baby sister?" She asked when he rubbed his cheek and walked back into the living room, no doubt being punched or kicked by his room mate. It was a success though, as she heard Liam grumble something about agreeing only because he needed to make sure Xerxes' wouldn't get hurt to which his room mate yelled at him for it to be the other way around.

He looked and her and smiled broadly. "Yup, that's little Emily. Only sibling I have," He shrugged and chugged down some water quickly.

Alice smiled lightly. "How old is she?"

"Turned eleven last month." Wow, cute… Alice always wanted a little sibling to tattle or to bully. On the picture she must've been a toddler though, seeing Xerxes looked pretty young as well. Alice shook the word cute out of her mind and turned a little, looking at his parents.

"You never speak about your family… do they live around here?"

He averted himself from her and yelled at Liam to hurry up. "About an hour away from here I'd say. I haven't visited them since I moved out of the house so, I guess about four years."

Alice frowned at him but didn't ask further. Not her business.

Finally, everyone was done, and Alice tiredly started the pick up truck she blackmailed Glen into loaning her (she chuckled) and drove off to where all of to the lake, where everyone else would already be. Thankfully it was only half an hour away.

"Liam, what did you bring for god's sake?" Xerxes complained when Liam ordered him to get his bag out. Xerxes and Alice their selves only had a small back pack with some stuff for the day. Liam adjusted his glasses.

"You might never know what the day will bring! Imagine it snows."

"You're going mommy on me now? I thought you're over that phase!"

Alice kept walking, not paying mind by the two children behind her which had started arguing about different life phases, puberty and guy love. The last only counted for Liam though, as Xerxes did a good job of embarrassing Alice as he yelled out Alice was the only one for him and Liam had to find some other to glomp.

"Help me," She mouthed to Sharon when they arrived and Sharon blatantly ignored her (save for the sadistic look) while she happily hung on Oz's arm. At least they hooked up, a few days ago. Alice had been _so _relieved. No more awkward conversations about her idiotic friend and Oz!

"Sit down." Alice ordered the guys who were still arguing and Liam dejectedly pulled out his blanket while Xerxes just wiggled his way onto Alice's blanket. She glared but let him nonetheless.

He noticed and smiled. "The closer we are the warmer we are!"

"That's a pathetic excuse." She murmured before forcing a bottle of water in his hands. He shrugged and grinned widely. They stayed like that for a while, talking, Alice slightly leaning on Xerxes' shoulder but only because she was lazy and wanted to lay down and couldn't because he was there and-… oh forget it.

All seemed to doze off a little before Sharon practically jumped up and made Oz stutter and look around angry while she pulled her clothes off, revealing black shorts and a thin white shirt.

"Couldn't you bring a bikini?"

"That isn't fun."

Alice sighed and shook her head. "You're going to swim? It's freezing, I tell you!"

Sharon giggled and waved her finger at Oz. "I got my personal heating system." Oz got the point and quickly pulled out some of his clothes, before he chased her into the water. Alice scrunched her nose.

"Ew."

"That's more than what I wanted to see of him," Elliot murmured to Reo and the raven only shrugged and continued reading. Echo still stared wordlessly at the two in the cold water. Alice shivered when a wind flew past and grinned widely at the suddenly good idea of Sharon. Oh, she'll get him. She'd definitely make _him_ trip over his words now.

Alice jumped up and in no time stripped down, just like Sharon, to her shorts and a short shirt she kept underneath. Grinning at the group, she waggled down to the lake, not even paying attention to the now gaping clown, and stuck one foot in the water.

"Damn it _is _cold." Alice whispered and looked at Oz who swam up at her while humming the Jaws theme.

"Oh don't try. I know your allergies."

Oz chuckled and pulled her into a hug, effectively stealing all her heat at his wet body. Alice tried not to squeal and instead choked out some obscenity while he dragged her further in, before throwing her in the water. She landed with a loud splash and clung onto Sharon to regain her breath once she resurfaced.

Sharon laughed and petted her hair."Aww, don't do that to poor Alice!" It didn't take long before Reo forcefully dragged Elliot in the water. Along followed Xerxes who decided, unbeknownst to Alice, that Oz could just go back daddling of with Sharon so he could have Alice alone. Of course, this was all unbeknownst to Alice.

"Ah, good, Clown, come and help me!" Alice squirmed underneath Oz's grip while Sharon looked a little left out. Xerxes winked at the girl and she smiled gratefully.

"..Why should I?"

"Help I'm drowning?" Alice said sarcastically and Xerxes laughed, swimming up to swat the blonde boy away. "Unfortunately, I'm gonna steal her now. We'll send you a card from Mexico~"

"Mexico? Hell no, make it Spain!"

A few seconds later, Alice was at Xerxes' mercy as he… should she say mercilessly? Well, mercilessly attacked her with the water… and she couldn't say she didn't like it. Not when she laughed and leaned on his shoulder to sleep while he drove them home.

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	6. Chapter 6

**_Q: (GASP!) Oh my author, ANOTHER update? Don't you have a life~?_**

**_A: I still have to figure that out.._**

**The point of that above me? It's saying this isn't a habit. I don't even know how I'm able to update that fast O.O**

**Chapter 6**

Alice barged in the door, not even disturbing Liam who was actively playing a video game, or Xerxes, who was grudgingly making dinner. Guess he lost a bet.

"I'm crashing here tonight. Or maybe the entire weekend. Don't know yet." Alice declared, dumping her stuff on the couch and Liam complained about the mess she made. Oh really, _the mess she made? _She chucked a pillow at him before releasing the furry ball out of a cage. Xerxes looked at Cheshire dreadfully. His relation with the cat didn't prove to be pretty at all, even though he bought the devil's thing some milk.

"Fight with your dad?" Xerxes asked quietly and Alice shook her head, walking over to him and hopping up to sit on the counter.

"He's gotta work over in the hospital, so he said he wouldn't be home. I didn't wanna be in that house all alone, and I wouldn't dare to go to Sharon ever since she and Oz began… something… and that excludes most confidential friends."

"Confidential?"

"I'm sure something might happen to me if I stay with Elliot and Reo. And Echo's hanging out with that creepy blonde guy you seem to be friends with. Sad enough, I don't really have more friends that could tolerate me for an entire weekend."

"Who said we could?" Liam replied smartly from his position on the couch, but he was completely ignored. Xerxes nodded at the girl before turning the fire on the stove down.

"Why bring the monster though?"

"My _cat _is called Cheshire," Alice huffed. "And I couldn't leave my baby all alone in the house!" Xerxes resisted the urge to gag at the sweet scene that developed in front of him; Cheshire jumped up to Alice just when she said 'my baby' and began to purr so violently he was afraid something got on fire and the system went off. But it didn't. Damn cat.

So eventually, Xerxes' nightmare had come true. He had to be honest; the only reason why he helped Alice get her cat down the tree and not let it stay up there, was because he was interested in the girl. But now he was befriended with her, the cat wasn't needed anymore. So why, did he agree on letting the cat stay as well?

He could never really resist big eyes. Nah, not when they come with pouty lips, messy brown hair and an attitude that was sure to show up if he disagreed. He let both of them stay – but there had to be boundaries. It was his house for fu- Xerxes sighed. He was getting agitated enough to curse within his own mind.

"Get that thing of the couch."

"Cheshire always goes on the couch! You can't forbid him that now, it's unnatural."

Xerxes tensed. "Fine, but you are vacuuming tomorrow." He ordered, sitting down and pushing the cat away so he could sit next to his friend. The cat jumped onto her lap and snuggled there happily, giving a pointed glare to the man and Xerxes couldn't help but glare back, especially when Alice began to coo at the now purring animal.

Liam snorted at the sight, murmuring something about flees and wild dogs before doing the dishes and going to his room. He cursed when his door broke lose again.

"Told you to fix it!" Xerxes yelled when a loud bang was heard. Liam huffed.

"You fix it, you're the man here!"

"I thought you always bragged about you having the personality of a seme. You fix it."

"I could get some handsome guy to come over though."

"Not under my roof."

"I pay half the bills ass-wipe."

Alice snorted. She only recently found out Liam was gay and loved to hear the conversations he would oh so freely have with Xerxes. Xerxes however, had an irritated look on his face. Alice complemented slapping him to make sure the irritated look didn't stay on forever.

"No fool language under my roof either. Or I might throw you out~"

"You make sure I don't throw _you_ out. Now help me with this freaking door!"

"Don't feel like it."

"I'll tell Alice you-"

"FINE." Xerxes shot up and Alice raised her eyebrows, wanting to hear the end of that sentence, but ignored it anyway since those comments were made more often. She settled for petting Cheshire and zapping through some channels.

And so Friday passed quite peacefully. After Liam practically had a heart attack that night after seeing _a girl _coming out of the shower with only a large towel because _someone _thought it was funny to hide her clothes, Alice had officially let both of them know that even though it was their apartment, she wouldn't hesitate to through them out if they did something 'funny'. Xerxes had grinned suggestively at that, and Liam had gulped, but they both tried to remain respectful towards the female, even though Liam occasionally dropped the comment he was glad he switched sides.

The respectful promise didn't last very long because Cheshire was momentarily glaring at Xerxes and purring at the sight of his lovely boss. Who said it was allowed on the table?

"It has to go. Final."

Alice pouted. "Then I'll go sleep on the street with him!"

"Don't be such a drama queen!" Alice had ignored _him _for a full quarter then, so he decided to just ignore _the cat _now.

On Saturday morning, Xerxes opened the front door, happy to find no mess blocked it, and walked straight towards the kitchen to drop the groceries.

He stretched his sore back – he couldn't be a gentle man _and _let Alice sleep on the couch at the same time, now, so he had to take the couch seeing he would never let her sleep in Liam's bed (even though the idea was tempting, to just kick him out), who knows what she might come on with if she did.

He could hear some loud noises coming from Liam's room, and noticing he wasn't greeted by his favorite ice-cream maid, he decided to take a look. And only to freeze in the doorway.

"Fuck… Spidey just.. won't… die!" Alice said, taking breaks, making it look like she was in fact fighting Spiderman herself instead of her chosen character, Wolverine. Liam looked rather smug with Spiderman avoiding all off Wolverine's rough attacks.

"Die already, bug!"

Liam pressed two buttons, wrapped Wolverine up in a web and destroyed the last few HP Alice had left.

"_Game over_."

"Damn it!" Alice seethed, throwing the controller back on the ground.

"I guess I killed you about ten times now," Liam said, grinning victoriously and Alice glared dangerously at him, resisting the urge to fight it out between real people. "Pay back's a bitch. Now go bake me those muffins, woman." Alice scrunched her nose, cursed, and turned around.

"You should just take Batman, he always kicks Spidey's ass when I play." Xerxes advised when Alice walked past him. He followed her into the kitchen and snickered as she pulled out the stuff she needed to make some muffins.

"Yeah yeah captain know it all. Just help me with those damn things. You don't have any rat poison do you?"

"We might, but I want a muffin as well, so I'm not telling you where." Alice snickered sadistically before helping him to put the groceries away, since they were in the way of her fabulous muffin baking.

"Oh, and by the way, I'm not doing your laundry." Alice said with certain disdain and Xerxes raised his eyebrows.

"I don't remind asking you. Why mentioning it?"

"I heard noises tonight, coming from dipshit's room. Like hell I'm gonna touch his underwear." Xerxes choked, and Alice didn't know if it was from shock or just to keep laughter in, before he chuckled and leaned over the counter.

"Oi Liam, no phone sex!"

"What!"

He laughed and Alice grinned, shaking her head. Opening the fridge, she pulled some over-date leftovers out, threw them in the sink and replaced it's spot with fresh strawberries. Xerxes bent over to grab some ice cream and filled a spoon with it. Alice blinked when he put it in front of her and for the sake of it ate it so he wouldn't whine.

Xerxes eyed her carefully. "Thirty one." He said smartly and Alice sighed.

"You actually keep count... Well, at least both try to keep your pants on while I'm here, okay? I'll be indebted to you if you insist," Xerxes sighed. Bachelor's life, he guessed.

"I don't bring them home though, you should be honored! " He wanted to add some comical joke such as 'they're a pain to get out', but decided she wouldn't appreciate it since she was one of their species and kept it in. He smirked at the small amused glint that appeared in her eyes.

"I'll do the laundry in that case, like always. Should I be surprised to see Victoria?"

Alice was slow for a moment before she blushed. "Idiot! I don't wear frilly things!"

"Ah, such a shame. They'll make you feel sexy, or at least a lot of women say."

Alice gave him a dreadful look. "Too expensive anyway. I usually buy them cheaper, within my budget at the – HEY!" She threw an apple at him which he caught in his hand. "Pervert! I ain't telling you where I buy my lingerie!"

"I wasn't going to give you such things as a present." He joked and she huffed. "Though some frilly stocking would look good with the maid – okay, I get it!" He held up his hands when she opened the pack of milk and held it up with a threatening look.

Liam chose the moment to walk in. "And here's he complaining about wanting to know your underwear so he doesn't have to imagine a blurry naked image…"

Xerxes hit him hard on the arm for the 'joke' and Alice glared hard at both of them. Sexists. She should've just chosen to stay with Sharon – but she didn't figure out if she wanted her and Oz or Liam and Xerxes yet. Hard decision…

"I'm going for a walk." Alice muttered, ending the entire conversation. Liam made angry cat sounds while Xerxes gave her an apologetic smile while she put on her coat and walked out the door. The last thing she heard before she closed the door was Liam's whine about muffins.

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**R&R! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**I wonder how many chapters this story is going to have...**

**Chapter 7**

Alice twitched, yawned and stretched, all in the two seconds she woke up. Turning around and cracking one eye open, she noticed Xerxes standing in the doorway and looking at her with an amused smile. Sighing tiredly, she looked directly back at him.

"What?"

"Nothing." He smiled like a cat who got caught and walked in to open the curtains, earning a dissatisfied grunt from her. He smiled and sat down on the bed.

"I guess Glen's home; I ran into him this morning in the cafeteria two blocks away from here." Alice raised her eyebrows. "He didn't know you were here of course. But I guess you should give him a call to tell him you're… out."

She dropped back down on the bed and tugged at Xerxes' sleeve when he moved to leave. "Are you free today?"

"No, but should I take off?"

She shook her head, not continuing and sitting up again, looking at the room lazily before fixing him with a stare and he cocked his head to one side.

Once she was up and in the kitchen with the duo, happily eating her cereal, Xerxes announced that for Liam's birthday next weekend, they would probably have a barbeque, and Alice and her friends should also come just for the hell of it.

Alice was in heaven at this, forgot her cereal and went to hug him for such a fabulous idea. However, in her rush to get to him, she stumbled over her own feet, tripped over some shoes who shouldn't be there, couldn't get a good hold on the table to secure herself and banged her head into the chair next to Liam.

"…A-Are you all right?" Liam gulped, trying desperately not to burst out into laughter. He snickered when Alice sat up with big eyes and a pout. Like a hurt puppy she shuffled closer and grabbed Xerxes' arm, hugging it tightly.

"Yeah." She sniffed, angry as she could feel Xerxes' silent laughter at her pain and hear Liam's not so silent laughter at her pain. Xerxes patted her affectionately and helped her up once she recovered from the shock.

"I never reckoned you as the clutzy type," he accused when she dusted her pyjama's. Alice looked away humiliated but didn't refrain from glaring at Liam, who was still giggling, and walked back to Xerxes' room to get some clothes, before disappearing in the bathroom, pointedly glaring at the duo who still snickered when they saw her. Darn, that was one stupid action. Alice sighed.

She put the water warm enough that her skin turned slightly red; she loved the burny feeling.

Finishing, Alice dried and dressed, walking out of the bathroom, and surprise surprise, tripped over her own feet again. She really didn't had her day today.

"You want to be hospatilized?" Xerxes said after he caught her. He smirked mischievously and Alice huffed at him.

"The bed's there don't proof to be as comfortable," He mentioned. Of course Alice knew that, seeing she spent enough nights in the hospital when she didn't want to be home alone or when her mother was hospatilized for two days and died anyway. She bit her lip at the memory; it has to be gone.

"You can release me now." Alice suddenly remarked, noticing Xerxes still had hold of her arms. He grinned.

"Are you sure? Don't you want me to help you across the hallway?"

Alice response made him whine and rub at the sore spot on his arm.

"I'm going back home today, by the way." Alice said after she succesfully made it to the living room. Xerxes, who walked after her, nodded and glared at Liam for cheering. Alice muttered something towards him and then he was totally forgotten again.

Half an hour later Alice found herself on the back of a bicycle as Xerxes drove her home. He had a license, why not buy a car? Well, she never asked so he never replied anyway. But her butt hurted a lot right now.

"You're taking the wrong way." She pointed out.

"I know." He replied smartly and Alice blushed, happy he couldn't see it. He's such a ditz. Wrapping her arms around his middle so she wouldn't fall off from an unexpected sharp turn, Alice boringly watched the people and houses they drove by.

Once back home, Alice was glad Glen's car wasn't there yet and hopped of the bike, turning to her friend quickly.

"So, ehm, I guess I'll see you later?" Alice asked and Xerxes grinned.

"Yeah, sure. I'll stop by your work."

She smiled approvingly and walked to her door, before turning around again.

"Eh… would you like to come in or something? You never saw my house, I mean." She quickly added and he eyed her for a second.

"I'd love too, but I got work, remeber?" Ah damn, she forgot about that! How stupid! Alice resisted the urge to stomp on her own feet.

"Oh yeah. Well, later, then."

"Bye," He responded sweetly, before leaving. Alice silently walked back into her house. She shouldn't have done that. Darn, she acted all clingy now.

Alice slouched over to the kitchen while texting Sharon she was home. She'd probably receive a call from her later that evening, seeing she was the only one she told about yet. She crouched down at the deep freeze and pulled Ben&Jerry's out, taking a small bite from the cookie dough disaster. Right after that, she snapped her cell phone open again and texted Xerxes the simple number '_Thirty-two'_. She smiled happily when her cell phone buzzed ten seconds later with the message _':D'._

'_Idiot.'_

Alice smiled wider, a blush forming on her cheeks as she snapped her cell phone shut again. She blushed too often lately. Even Sharon told her she looked like a puppy even more when Xerxes would show up. That didn't mean anything of course. Xerxes just made her slightly happy with his behaviour, that's all. She was only glad to have him as a good friend.

"You're home already?"

She nearly jumped when Glen suddenly stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking at her questiongly. Alice glared at him and didn't respond. He sighed.

"Don't act like such a baby all the time." He remarked and Alice, who had walked right past him in order to get upstairs as quickly as possible, turned around.

"Me, acting like a baby? You're the one that needs to grow up!" She fumed at him. Well, a little lie to Xerxes would never hurt. He didn't have to know that Glen accidentally hit her after they got into a fight. It wasn't a hard hit, and it never bruised, but the fact he did slap her across the face was enough for Alice to leave the house and cool down somewhere else.

"It's only normal for me to go on with my life." He quietly replied and Alice bit her lip, hard. Lacy only died six years ago, it never left Alice's mind. It shouldn't leave his mind too. "And aside from that you shouldn't even interfere with my life."

Alice turned around again. So what if she was unreasonable? Glen shouldn't give up his memory of Lacy so easily. He fucking operated on her, and lost her while doing it! Shouldn't it be more trauma for him than for her, who was asleep in a guest room in the hospital at the time?

"Don't walk away young lady! Where were you this weekend? I was worried sick!"

"Good!" Alice yelled, walking up the stairs.

"Where were you?"

"I'm not going to tell you, stupid!"

"Alice!"

Alice responded by slamming the door to her room and blocking it with her desk, which should only right next to the door. Fortunately, Glen didn't persuade her and she was left alone in her room. With a frustrated hum she lied down on her bed, clutching her pillow. She decided to not move from her room the entire day, even going as far to pointedly ignore Sharon's call. She didn't feel like anyone talking to her right now.

Looking at the ceiling, she wondered how this woman was like. If Glen liked her enough to have this whole fight with her, she had to be something. Could she be better than Lacy? Nah, she couldn't be. Alice wouldn't like her. That's when Alice decided to move out of the house. She was eighteen already, she could live on her own now.

Opening her laptop, Alice started it up and quickly roamed the internet with the sites Sharon had gave her when she suggested moving out earlier.

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	8. Chapter 8

**Three more weeks until my freedom! **

**Chapter 8**

"Are you sure?" Sharon worriedly asked, and Alice hummed, fiddling with a teddy bear on the end of her bed.

"Yeah, it's only one day. I'll be back at work tomorrow. I just don't feel so good."

"If you say so. You want me to call your college as well?"

Alice smiled at her friend's motherly behaviour. "That's not necessary, I only had two hours today. It's okay to miss it."

Sharon sighed disapprovingly but didn't go against her anyway. "Well, you always know there's a room free here. Just give me a call."

"Will do."

"I have to go to work now. I'll call you tonight!"

They hung up and once Alice was sure Glen went to work, she shot up and walked downstairs, hugged the cat for a while because he wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't, and went to prepare a cup of coffee, taking it upstairs with her again.

If she had nothing to do, she might as well work on the new article she was assigned to, the one about the burned down hotel. Of course she was bored once she finished it. The last thing she needed were pictures. For that, she snapped her cell open.

One hour later, she and Xerxes walked side to side towards the hotel, Alice fiddling with her camera to get it to work properly. Stupid machines.

"Remind me why I called you to go with me?" Alice snorted when she was held up by her friend again, as he quickly bought something from a cafeteria. She needed to get this project done already!

"You like spending your precious time with me~" He replied smartly, ruffling her hair. Alice sighed, knowing it was her fault since she called him. His presence was mildly soothing, as always, though.

"I just need to get a few pictures done. I already did the article, so just be quiet and watch, then I'm all yours." Alice said, almost feeling like a mommy telling her child to not touch the colourful candy in the rackets. Oh help, she might have to do that as well one day! She glared at her friend for some effect.

"I gave you a ride, you shouldn't complain!"

"You _forced _me to have you give me a ride. Busses are more comfortable than your bicycle anyway." Of course Glen took the car when he went to work, so she couldn't take the car. She didn't leave a note or a call as well. And even if he grounded her, she'd ignore it anyway since he wasn't even home most of the day.

Xerxes didn't reply to that and gave her an amusing smirk while he sipped the iced coffee he just bought. "Then take those pictures already," He said and Alice frustratingly walked on. She just said that, idiotic clown!

During their quest, Alice got itchy with his sudden silence and just conversed on her own. "You know, you have a license, why not buy a car?"

"Why should I? With the bike, I can get everywhere~"

"You get my behind to hurt." Alice remarked and he snickered.

"I'll add a pillow to the back seat then."

After another half an hour, Alice finally claimed she had enough pictures of the large burned down hotel, and after having a quick talk with the manager, she dragged Xerxes out of the damaged hotel. Alice suggested they'd go to her home first so she could drop some stuff, and now he was standing in her kitchen with an approving whistle.

"Now you're free, want to do something fun?"

"What do you see as fun?"

"Ouch," Alice smirked. "How about we go house-shopping?"

She halted herself for a second. House-shopping? That meant looking for a place to live. Alice gulped quietly when he narrowed his eyes at her. How did he know about that? He couldn't possibly have seen it on her laptop because he never entered her house before today.

"You're taking a day off at work today as well, aren't you?"

Oh shit! Alice mentally cursed Sharon. Of course he went by the shop and talked to Sharon. Sharon must've told him she was looking for a place since she was moving out. What more did she tell him? Oh, she was going to _kill_ her… she wasn't allowed to tell anyone!

"I am…" Alice admitted. "Sharon told you this?"

He shrugged. "I thought you wanted to stay home for a little while longer because Glen couldn't save himself without you. What's with the sudden turn in thoughts?"

Alice remained silent. He had stuffed his hands in his pockets now, looking at her suspiciously. Well, he wasn't that stupid. He must've figured out something already, judging by how he looked at her.

"I felt constricted. Besides, a lot of people advice students to go live in a student place because it's more fun."

"You never cared for someone else's advice."

Alice walked over to the hallway to hang up her coat; it was too warm to wear one anyway. He followed her and leaned in the doorpost of the kitchen.

"Why are you looking for another place? And don't give me those bullshit reasons, because I already hear something is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong." Alice replied icely. Normally that stopped him, but he seemed seriously set on getting to know this.

"Alice, you can tell me." She was surprised at the sudden soothing tone and looked at him nervously. She didn't want him to know; he didn't have to know. "Did you have a fight with him?"

Her silence answered and he sighed, running a hand through his own hair while a uncomfortable silence of about five seconds followed. "He wasn't at the hospital that weekend, was he?"

"No. I just left to calm down."

"Figures. What'd he do?"

"It'll sound childish how I reacted."

He smiled and shrugged. "You don't have to explain every little detail." Alice bit her lip and leaned in the wall, looking away.

"I got mad at him for dating a woman. He got mad at me for interfering."

"Why'd you get mad at him?"

"I… He shouldn't ignore the fact mom died." Alice quietly said, realizing how useless that sounded. Perhaps Glen was right.

"That was six years ago, right?" She nodded. "It's a long time, Alice." When Alice didn't reply he smiled sympathetically. "You know just as well as I do that he just went on with his life. You should do so too."

"You shouldn't talk!" Alice angrily remarked, before remembering he had his own problems with his family. She shut up again and looked at the ground remorsefully, but he didn't seem to mind her little outburst.

"There's one thing I don't understand though. You never get so agitated from a little fight." Alice made a face at this and didn't respond either, wanting to go and do something fun like he suggested. Of course it didn't have to take long before realization dawned upon him. He walked over to her and grabbed her arm.

"Where?"

"Don't exaggerate." Alice snapped, pulling her arm back from his grasp. He glared at nothing in particular. "He just slapped me, that's all."

He pointedly turned to the door and opened it harshly, walking out. Alice followed him quietly. "Where are you going?"

"The hospital."

"Why?"

He stopped when she roughly tugged his arm. "Because he _hit _you." He exclaimed. "That's unacceptable."

"My behaviour was unacceptable as well, idiot! You're not going there! He's probably already sorry for what he did. Hell, you shouldn't even interfere with this kind of things, you're not…" She faded out and Xerxes looked at her incredously.

"I'm not what? Fit to defend you? Is that what you wanted to say?"

"No, don't put words in my mouth." Alice glared right back at him. "He's my family moron, things like that can happen."

"They shouldn't be happening. Unless you're some kind of masochist you should be pretty well aware that hitting is not a fit punishment a child should get."

"Why are you so concerned about this anyway? I'm telling you it's all right!" Alice fumed at him, noticing the neighbours looked out of the window. Damn spies. She really hated her neighbours. She glared at the woman, who quickly shut the curtains.

"Fine." Xerxes eventually muttered, and he left again to leave, grabbing his bike from his position at the wall. Alice stomped her feet to the ground.

"Xerxes, what's your problem!"

"It's fine. I'll see you soon." He left, leaving Alice to stand in the garden alone. Realizing he really left, just _left, _Alice cursed and stomped her foot down again. Storming back inside the house, she grabbed Cheshire from the ground, held him to her chest and cried into his fur, letting the cat purr and lick at her hands.

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**Cookies for the people who know Xerxes' motives.. xD (who doesn't?)**  
**R&R! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

With an annoyed, stuck-up expression on her face, Alice sat down at the counter of the shop and faced the four-eyed guy who so lovely called out to her (and made all the people stare as well).

"What do you want? Don't you have some gay bars to raid?" Alice hatingly murmured when Liam tugged at her hair. He faked a hurt look and chuckled, sitting down in front of her.

"I had an epiphany!"

"Did it hurt?"

"…"

Alice huffed at his glare. "Fine, what was it?"

"I take it from Break's PMS-ing you had a fight with him," He said, first things first. Alice glared harder, so he took that as a yes. "What was it about?"

"None of your business."

"Then I'll go and ask that lovely friend of yours." He stood up and Alice tugged him back right where he was, knowing Sharon'd tell him everything in hopes of helping him to get Alice cheery again.

"All he did was making a fuss about me having a fight with Glen." Liam scrunched his nose. So _that's _the reason his friend had a stick up his ass all week.

"Why'd you tell him about it anyway? You knew it was bound to piss him off."

"He figured it out himself." Alice muttered, knowing that nothing on her would ever have let him know that. She glared at Sharon who yelped and amusingly smiled before returning to work.

"So what did happen between you and Glen? You know the rule between gay guys – we never spill."

"That's just.. ew." Alice made a face and he snickered. It probably was true, seeing it came from her favourite gay guy (she didn't know any other).

"I got into a fight with Glen, and he hit me. Then I stayed over at yours for the weekend. Once I came back I had to make some pictures for an article, and clown went with me. He questioned me about me moving out because Sharon told him so and he figured out I had a fight with Glen. He got mad and left. Pun." Alice murmured, ignoring Liam's comforting hand on her arm.

"It's logical he went against you saying it's all right. Because that's what I think you were saying." He quickly added when Alice looked at him confusedly.

"No it's not. He should mind his own business."

"Naïve little Alice. From a fact I know that you are his business. Just like all his friends are." He quickly added, always making last-minute rescues to his mistakes. Alice didn't think any of it and gazed downwards.

"I'm serious here, four-eyes."

"So am I, chibi." Liam grinned when Alice glared at him for the nickname.

"So what was this bird that flew into your empty head anyway?"

"Eh…" He was silent for a while and Alice wanted to hit him on the head for forgetting so easily, before his vision cleared and he remembered again.

"Ah, yes, yes. The party this weekend. Oh! You will come right?"

Alice snorted. "Even if I didn't want to, Sharon and Oz will probably drag me with you. How did you get them to come anyway?"

"We're good friends."

"I'm not sure about that."

He smiled. "Why don't you meet up at ours before we leave? We're meeting most people there, so you can ride with us."

"You mean you can ride with me, seeing you have no car."

He shrugged innocently. "Whatever suits you best, pumpkin."

Alice sighed and leaned back into the chair a little. She didn't felt like going at all; nor did she liked the fact she had to ask Glen for permission to borrow the car. Sure, they acted normal against each other now, having dinner together again, but she still felt awkward.

Eventually Alice gave in and accepted his offer, agreeing to come over and pick them up the weekend. As she walked home, she wondered why… she could imagine the scenary perfectly. Liam would make stupid noises and jokes while Xerxes would glare ahead of himself and Alice would try not to squirm nervously and would concentrate on the road hard. And she would definitely not try to make conversation, nor would the clown, so that did leave the gay guy to once again –

"Hey."

Alice walked straight past Xerxes, deep in her thoughts, before she realized who talked, and turned around swiftly. He looked at her with an amused look, but straightened his composure.

"Sorry! I was thinking and I didn't see you and-"

"You heading home?" Alice silenced when he interrupted her with a deadpanned look and nodded. "Can I walk with you?"

"Why not." Alice shrugged and continued to walk while he quickly caught up to her and casually walked next to her, hands in his pockets. It was silent for a minute or two and Alice wondered exactly why he wanted to walk her home.

"How are you?" Alice quickly closed her mouth. He had a nift for saying things while she was just about to as well.

"Fine. You?"

"The usual."

Alice nodded, biting her lip. "I've made up with Glen. Uh.. well sort off then. We didn't like apologize but we're just ignoring what happened now."

"That's good." Wow, he was curt today. Alice glanced at him as he was gazing forwardly.

"I miss you." Alice squeaked out and looked away emberassedly when he looked over to her. "You know how I always complain you're annoying and stuff? Well, you are, just to make sure." She heard him snort. "But you don't know how much you like something until it's gone, right? At the moment the only annoying guy I have in my life is Liam, and he's gay, so it doesn't count. It doesn't feel complete. I need the main annoying guy back. I'm really sorry about what happened, but you were acting stupid as well! It isnt my fault entirely. But I should've told you sooner, I guess. Liam told me that you're taking problems from friends more personal than I would've thought. I-"

She ended her long rant when he shrugged and looked forward again. "Annoying guy, huh? At least it left an impression."

She groaned quietly. Dammit! "I didn't mean it like that!" She ground out. "You know what I mean. Right?"

"How am I annoying to you?"

"Everytime you're here you make me nervous, and you look at me with that stupid mischievous smile that makes me want to hit you, but at the same time I want to see it again, and it's so damn annoying! And that stupid tone of voice you have, you can piss everyone off with that! But somehow everyone _likes _you and I don't wanna be part of those people! It's _annoying_!"

"I think you mean something else than annoying person then. Are you part of that group?"

"What do you mean something else?"

"I'll let you figure that out."

"Damn clown!"

He smiled at her and she blushed, glaring at the buildings they were walking by. "If I'm your annoying person, what would make you to me?"

"Eh?"

"Maybe pet… or toy." He smiled wickedly. "Cute, Verbally-abusive, Attractive, oh my, there are so many possibilities, I just can't –OUCH!"

Alice rubbed her fist. "Don't make fun of me." She said as she crossed her arms and stood still, trying to give him a threatening look. Xerxes smiled again, before reaching out and petting her hair.

"I missed you too, my favourite person~"

And so, Alice ended up in a car with an overly happy gay guy who kept on singing dull songs because he was, like said before, overly happy, and a (annoying) guy who kept on nudging her sides while she was so busy trying to concentrate on the road, but that failed horribly as Liam listen in to what Xerxes was whispering to her, succeeded into panting in her neck, creeping Alice out, making her hit the brakes, almost crashing into a tree and eventually, Alice throwing both guys out and locking the doors.

Thus, an ordinary day.

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**lol at cheesy ending :D  
R&R! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Alice bit her pen. It was a bad habit, she knew. Sharon scolded her mercilessly for it if she saw. But that's why Sharon isn't here!

Chewing it and thinking thoroughly, Alice tapped her fingers on the keyboard of her laptop. This sucks. How was she supposed to write a fiction article from ten pages when she was so low on inspiration?

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. _

"Alice, go upstairs! You're distracting me!"

"You go upstairs! I'm thinking so shut up!"

"How dare you speak so vile against me~"

Alice yelped as her chair was roughly pulled away from the laptop, and trying to grab her laptop in a vain attempt to not let Xerxes read, she wobbled around and flailed her arms around. But as we said before, it was a vain attempt.

Xerxes leaned down to read the assignment on the laptop, succeeded to chuckle sadistically, smile at her sympathetically, and walked back to the kitchen.

"Never heard of someone getting distracted while he's cooking though."

"My cooking must be perfect so I need my concentration."

"Psht yeah right. For what, reading the cooking book?"

"This is entirely my own recipe… well, family's secret."

Alice was successfully distracted from her 'homework' and rolled the chair to the opening of the kitchen. "Ah, you never told anyone?"

"Never."  
"I find that hard to believe."

"Have some trust~" He whined and she laughs silently as she watched him chop vegetables. "So do you have other ideas than corny introductions with 'once upon a time'?"

Alice blushed feverishly. "Shut up! It's hard okay? You try to make a plot and we'll see!"

He smiled knowingly. "Write about yourself!"

"It's supposed to be fiction."

"I don't think any teacher on your school knows about the flavour deal you made with me."

"You mean the deal you forced on me."

"Don't say it doesn't turn you on." He was rewarded with the chewed pen flying in his direction, but dodged it perfectly. But now he mentioned it, it didn't seem like a bad idea at all! They would never know it was a biography! She'd just change the names and some events and tada~ story.

"So it all started when this idiotic guy entered the large restaurant and forced the perfectly normal girl down the table and shoved flavours down her throat."

"Is that how you see me? You better say no or I'll add poison to your food."

Alice stuck out her tongue. "I know you put something in it and I'm not gonna eat it anyway!"

"You hurt my feelings~"

"Fine fine. I'll try to make something from it."

"I want to read it when you're done~"

"Like hell! And stop acting like we're a married couple!"

"But we are, my wifey! "

Alice sighed and smiled amused before rolling back to the laptop and removing what text she had now, replacing it with different lines. First, introduction, then, deal… later on, what should happen? If she finished the deal… there had to be some climax. Like a sudden event. Alice pondered. Someone could die from ice cream poisoning. She snickered; no bad idea! So how about a sudden confession of someone? Instantly she thought of Liam. BAD idea. Someone's gonna move? Nah, not exciting at all.

Alice picked up another cookie, ignoring what Xerxes told her earlier about snacking before dinner. Maybe the main characters could fall in love. But it seems so cheesy! Though that's what most readers from a story like that would want to happen. Alice sighed.

She still had a week. She could try to turn in into a romance story and if it didn't work she'll convert into something else (horror). Alice giggled at the thought of turning such a story to a terrifying horror tale.

Making a small plan on the end of the page, Alice wondered how this deal between them was going to end. It was obvious they were friends now. Obvious, yeah. But if they weren't, the deal would end and Alice would avoid him later on. They only had nine more flavours to go, before it ended at fifty-two.

"Say, how should it end?"

"The story, you mean?" Alice hummed in agreement and he walked out of the kitchen to watch over her shoulder. Alice tapped her fingers on the numerous letters again, as he read out her plan along with the different endings.

"One sided love, Alice? You're so cruel~"

Alice snickered. "It's an interesting concept and you know it. It'll leave the readers hanging." He shrugged and scanned through the rest.

"Well, how do you think the deal between us is going to end?"

"I already thought about that, but we're just friends. It'll be boring if I end it with just friends. What's the point of the story if it ended so normally?"

Luckily for Alice she missed the slightly troubled look because the screen of her laptop was of course not a mirror. "Well, sometimes normal ends are nice." He admitted and Alice bit her lip. She can't write nice, normal endings. That's too…normal.

"Maybe the end could be about the fight we had?" He shrugged again and Alice sweat dropped. Baaad subject. "Or maybe not."

"Gee pick one."

"It's not that easy!"

"Tell you what, in the next three days you consume the last nine flavours and I'll think of a suitable ending."

"Huh?" Alice wheeled around as he straightened up again and smirked down at her. "Just as I said. It won't be too hard seeing you work in an ice cream shop!"

"But then you would be making the ending for me."

"Well you're participating in it, aren't you? You could change it to your liking."

He walked back to the kitchen when some bell rang and Alice nodded to herself. That's agreeable.

"I guess I don't need to ask what's for dessert." Alice deadpanned when she was dragged from her laptop to the dining room. Wow, looked fancy. He can really cook! Alice didn't believe him for a while, but this looked impressive enough. She snickered when he promptly said 'no'. Oh he knew her too well.

"I need to have the report done in a week. How about I finish this stupid deal on Wednesday?"

"Not so eager wifey, I said three days, not two."

"Aww, don't be such a spoilsport." Xerxes grinned while he sat down.

* * *

**R&R! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sniff.. Clannad is so sad T.T**

**Chapter 11**

Alice hadn't heard from Xerxes all day. Not since she texted him she finally gulped the ninth flavour down. Che, he was backing away since he couldn't come up with a proper ending, she knew it! Stupid clown. Closing the shop, Alice walked back to the parking lot with Sharon because her sweet friend offered to take her home. They chatted about the things girls chat, Sharon trying to prod into her non-existent love life, Alice trying to prod into smudgy details she could blackmail Oz with, and Sharon trying to convince they should look for a place together.

A quarter later, Alice was home and went straight to cooking, because it was one of those nights. Glen invited a lot of colleagues over and would discuss some matters with them – it could be compared to one of those grandmother tea parties. Every once in a month, it was Glen's turn to host it.

That would mean Alice would have to bring the drinks. Well, she didn't have to, but she felt kinda obliged to seeing there was no proper woman in the house.

Somewhere along the night, with conversations about operations, nerves and football, Alice noticed ticking on the kitchen door. She walked over, opened the curtain and yelped when Xerxes gave her the I'm-gonna-kill look. He grinned widely after, while she glared and opened the door dejectedly.

"Why are you here?" She snapped and he ruffled his own hair because the rain made a mess of it.

"So direct~" He mused, winking. "I had a wonderful idea for the ending of your story!"  
Alice huffed. "Which is?"

He smiled again and took off his coat. "I will tell you in a minute…" She took his coat and hung it over the chair to dry.

"Shoes off too," She murmured and he complied. "We'll go upstairs. Let me tell Glen first." She bowed over to the table and held the tray with glasses of wine carefully. Just as she was balanced, she walked out of the kitchen with Xerxes in tow. He left her to raid the first floor, possibly her room as well, with a snicker and Alice rolled her eyes, before excusing herself. She found him again, sitting at her desk, eyeing her happily. Alice sat down at the end of her bed.

"Now, what was this light bulb you burned you head on?"

"Ha-ha. Well, about the ending. I scanned through my own head many times~"

"Don't be so philosophical."

"Ouch. Well, I think you should just end it like we're going to end it. A romantic end, that is."

"So they fall in love? What does that has to do with us?"

He blinked but smiled sweetly at her. Oh, little naïve Alice. "Write about how I fell in love with my favourite ice cream maid~"

Naturally, this needed to progress in Alice's mind first before she really knew what he was saying, and looked utterly shocked when he smiled lightly.

"You mean you…" She fell silent when he gave her a curt nod, his white bangs still sticking to his fore head from the rain.

Feeling the urge to run out of the room, Alice gave a nervous chuckle.

"Oh, for the plot! It would make it a lot more interesting. Too bad I don't have a real example then. Maybe I could ask Sharon for some help, or…" She faded out and looked at her lap, hearing Xerxes walk over to her. He kneeled down so she could see him from her downward gaze.

"You wouldn't need an example." He said softly while he reached out of her hands. She cringed away but he grabbed them nonetheless.

"Why's that?" She nearly squeaked, and she wanted to hit herself for letting this get to her. He smiled, still gazing directly at her.

"Because I am utterly and hopelessly in love with you. If I could, I'd spend every moment with you, so that I could engrave your very image in my mind. I'd hug you close and lie next to you so I can revel in how you feel, and even though you'd probably avoid me now and then, I'd always want to be with you."

His confession made Alice blush until she felt it creeping all the way to the tips of her ears. She coughed awkwardly when she noticed he was waiting for a reply.

"You exaggerate too much." She muttered and bit her lip when her heart made a leap at his happy smile.

He squeezed her hands and leaned in closer to her, making her feel constricted. Alice closed her eyes tightly, breathing in deeply. She wasn't prepared for this! Stupid clown! He knew she wouldn't be able to say things coherently.

"No…" She knew he stopped any movement he was making when she finally said something again. Alice opened her eyes carefully and saw him looking at her confused. "No… I can't."

He blinked, and Alice closed her eyes again knowing if she didn't she'd catch the quick flash of hurt in his eyes.

"Alice, I-"

"Alice, we're leaving!" Opening her eyes back to reality, Alice sharply turned her head and stood up quickly. Xerxes took a step backwards to let her stand up.

"Coming! Uhm, I have to go… down to say bye and all."She nearly choked out and he straightened up.

"I'll go home too." He suggested and Alice nodded, knowing that was a better idea. She practically stormed down the stairs, shaking her head a few times, and quickly said goodbye to everyone. Xerxes left after he hesitatingly petted her head to which Alice balled her fists at. She was anxious, and she knew Glen could tell.

"Are you… never mind." Glen smiled at her and ignored her watery eyes before he walked into the kitchen, Cheshire following him in the knowledge he'd get some leftovers.

"I'll do the dishes. You go upstairs… you look tired." She couldn't really argue with that kind of tone, so instead of demanding he'd go and relax, she shuffled to the stairs.

The next day, Alice kept her cell agonizingly close to her, even at work. She got even more nervous when it occurred to her that instead of calling her to talk, he might visit her. Knowing him he might do both.

"Have some pills already."Sharon muttered, slightly irritated at the nervous shifting, and Alice glared darkly at her.

"Sorry, sorry!" Sharon immediately said, laughing at the deadpanned look of her best friend. Alice sighed and looked at her apologetically, but it didn't work very well.

"Go change in the back and relax a little, would you? I don't know what the hell is going on but you're stressed."

"Sorry for the trouble." She murmured before walking to the back. When she went for a midnight snack that night, she ended up on the couch looking at the messages in her inbox from her cell. They texted a lot. Disturbingly lot. How long had he felt that way for her? She should've noticed a change in behaviour. Sure he joked about it, but he always laughed about it when she straightforwardly rejected him about it.

Not even the cat or an old t-shirt of her mom helped her to sleep that night, and she had wanted to call Xerxes out of bed and yell at him for keeping her awake. But she knew that instead of the idiotic comment he'd make, he'd apologize briefly before telling her to go to bed.

"Sharon, I'm going home early. I have some things to do." Alice remembered her project. Might as well finish it now when she wanted to get her mind of current things.

* * *

**R&R! :D... D:**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sniff.. the last chapter T.T But fear not! A new idea of Brelice fiction is flowing into my mind~**

**Chapter 12**

Alice nervously shifted around with her feet in the mass of leafs on the ground. Autumn. Not cold enough to wear thick clothes, and not warm enough to wear t-shirts. Her least favourite season.

It's only been three days after the… incident. Alice coughed awkwardly. But she'd taken off from work and stayed home to finish some things. The first thing she saw when she walked around town again was that autumn had showed himself a little more. Alice stuck her hands in her coat with a frown.

But she wasn't here to criticize the weather or climate or any of those things. She was here with a mission! Alice chuckled knowing how cheesy that sounded. She hoped he'd received it on time and would actually come. Tomorrow she had to have the project finished, and she was almost done with her story.

So yesterday afternoon she met Liam and practically ordered him to give Xerxes the small bundle of papers with no other note attached to it. He should get the message, right? So Alice was waiting in her front garden while toying around with the cat who was oddly fascinated with the leaves. Glen wasn't here, but she felt more comfortable outside then inside.

She leaned again the wooden fence on her porch and shuffled her foot around to amuse the cat. Cheshire was absolutely delighted to not only have this kind of attention of his beloved boss, but also that she'd actually make the leaves move. He went after them quickly to implant his claws into it with a happy purr.

Alice looked up when she heard a cough and smiled lightly when she saw Xerxes standing there, hands in his pockets, a plastic bag around his arm. She had a feeling she knew what was in there!

"Very subtle, forcing Liam to give it to me." He deadpanned. "He practically shoved it into my face. Really, couldn't you have sent it?"

"I had to make sure you'd read it, now didn't I?"

He smiled at her and sat down on the steps to her porch, holding the plastic bag out. Alice quickly took it and put it down on the porch.

"So what did you think?"

"Amusing." He answered, a tad of doubt in his voice. "But I didn't get the ending. Was it an open ending or was it just not finished?"

"Not finished."

"You have decided on an ending by now then? You can't submit it unfinished, I assume."

"Nah, I haven't decided on anything yet and yes, I can't submit it this way. Guess I'll have to write that part tonight."

"Any ideas?"

Alice smiled and shuffled her foot again for the cat, who happily mewled at her. Eventually Cheshire got more than bored of it and left to inspect the plastic bag. "Actually I wanted to know if you knew a good ending. The story is about you as well, you should have some influence on it."

Xerxes frowned and looked at his knees. "I don't have any original ideas."

"I thought the last one was rather... original. But you're the one that has to work it out in order to make it look believable on paper."

Alice closed her eyes, knowing that if she'd look at her friend she'd blush madly and her plan would be effectively destroyed because he'd bully her with it. Or not. She didn't know in which kind off mood he was at the moment.

"You mean…" she heard him ask, confused, but she almost wanted to snap at him he didn't have to sound so damn mischievous.

"I'm waiting." She spurred him on further and she heard him chuckle. She knew he would think it was funny. Maybe he expected it, seeing he's some alienated clown. Alice smiled and sneaked a peek just when he stood up and walked over to her.

"You're not going to go away and avoid me?" He asked when he was standing before her, looking at her seriously, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"I wouldn't avoid you or something." She muttered. "I'm quite content with having you around. I just realized that three days too late… Sorry."

He gave her a happy smile that made her stomach tingle a little and couldn't help but smile back a little, unsure of her next move. That all didn't seem to matter much though, when he wasn't too slow with putting one hand on her neck and the other on her cheek. He pulled her towards her and Alice's eyes fluttered closed when his lips touched hers quick after. Putting her hand over the one covering her cheek she pressed a little harder and felt him smile.

She completely forgot she was in the middle of her garden where people could see them, and honestly she didn't really care either, because all she could focus on was Xerxes, and his scent, and his hands, and his lips. Normally she would've punched him for that one mood-killing joke he made when they broke for air, but Alice just didn't find any will to do so and instead gave him a glare before pulling him back for another round.

"Ahem."

With a start Alice broke away from Xerxes and looked at the car which just parked on the driveway with wide eyes.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

Seeing Alice's panicked look when she locked eyes with her step father, Xerxes quickly released her out of his hold and apologetically smiled at Glen who eyed him with mild amusement.

"Eh, this isn't, why are you, I mean-" Alice took a deep breath, rubbing her hands on her cheeks to remove the blush.

"I'm home early because I thought you would feel lonely, seeing I worked the entire week. Guess I was wrong."

Xerxes snickered and it resulted into Alice punching his arm embarrassedly.

"But don't mind me, the guys have been demanding that I'd go out with them. Tonight's the perfect occasion."

Alice looked at him dumbfounded before she caught on. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you two can spent the night here. I'll stay at Peter's tonight. Just don't do any things I wouldn't do."

"What?" Alice shrieked. "What the hell do you think you are implying?" Alice still had her hands on her cheeks and she positively felt them burning. This sucked!

"I think he means we might have intercourse tonight, pumpkin." He was quickly reduced to a fleeing white blur because Alice decided she had to hit him multiple times for not only the nickname, but also for saying such a thing out loud with no shame, to the step father of his… err… girlfriend… she supposed.

And if she would've listened closely, she heard Glen murmur something about young love and kids these days after he put his stuff away in the house. Alice had gotten her revenge on Xerxes and walked into the house with the ever remaining blush on her cheeks. He followed her soon after with a sneaky smile.

The rest of the month went by normally. For other people then. Alice had been thoroughly embarrassed after a slap on her behind at work ("before you strangle me, I want to say you have the best ass in the world, wifey!"), which was followed with a chase from Alice's side. She couldn't leave the few heated make out sessions out either, and discovered her _dear _boy… friend (Alice fiddled with her fingers) loved to do these on particular places, such as in the park or in the back rooms of the ice cream shop. Of course he'd love to show affection to her in front of Glen as well, but seeing her step father didn't particularly mind, she started to mind less as well. Next to that Sharon demanded juicy details while all they did was just kissing and she had to hear Oz shamelessly teaching her sex-ed. (Why did everything thought of that so quickly?)

All in all, a normal week for other people. Alice wondered how much more blood could raise to her cheeks.

"What are you thinking about~"

"Anything but what you're thinking about."

"Too bad." Xerxes grinned and petted her head, which was positioned on his chest. Alice sighed and tried to focus on the movie they were watching, but it was hard with him so close. She ought to be used to his now.

"Don't you think it's weird Glen took later shifts?" He asked, but with the amused tone in it, Alice already knew he knew. Glen was terrified he walked in on them, and she could imagine how horrible it would be if you walked in on your (step)daughter and her boyfriend. Yeah, she totally understood him.

Thus, Alice ignored the question and continued focusing on the television. "You're ignoring me~"

"I'm trying to concentrate." Alice replied smartly, burying her hands in his shirt childishly. He snickered amused.

"Don't tell me you haven't watched this movie ten times already. There's a reason it was next to the television and not stacked up somewhere." Darn it.

Giving in, Alice sat up and moved for the remote control, pausing the movie. "It was your idea to watch a movie. If you don't want to, you shouldn't have proposed it!"

"I did want to, but I grew tired of it!"

Alice's mouth twitched as she wanted to throw out he was acting like a woman on her period. But he'd prove her wrong so she just kept quiet. "I'm gonna get snacks." Alice announced, jumping of the couch and perfectly dodging his grabbing hand at her waist. Ha!

Waiting for the magnetron to be finished with the popcorn, Alice sat on the kitchen table and stared at it with a smile. Now she could brag about being in love as much as she wanted to Sharon and seeing she already had her fill, Sharon was going to listen to her as well!

"Did you pause the movie?" Xerxes shook his head and Alice pouted. "You're gonna miss Edward's confession to Jane!"

"Honestly Alice, I rather wait for the popcorn with you than watch a minute more of the theatrical drama that calls itself Jane Eyre."

"You culture bastard! It's a lovely movie. You'll have to watch it more often if you're intending on being here."

"Let's make a compromise, I'll mesmerize the movie if you become my lovely wifey!"

"Quit with the wifey thing!" Alice immediately responded out of reflex. "And take it one thing at a time will you. I don't think I'm ready to have you around _everywhere _yet."

"Aw? At least come and live with me? I'll kick Liam out~"

"Nah-ah, it's not the deadline yet." Alice smirked evilly.

"Why did I ever come up with that fifty-two rule." He whined and Alice smirked. In order to have a little payback at him, she'd put a rule for a few things, such as living together and… ahem… sex. Though the last one failed because of him. But the living together, she could refuse! Alice felt strangely powerful.

"I'll just have to seduce you into coming for slumber parties then~" He suggested and she rolled her eyes at him; but she couldn't say she minded. He grinned at her and moved over to her to kiss her, completely ignoring the ting of the magnetron.

"The movie," Alice said when he broke with her to reposition and he smirked.

"According to Jane's happy sighs, they're probably kissing. I say we should follow their example~"

"Only if you finish the movie." Alice pushed him away and jumped of the table to get a bowl for the popcorn, filling it, and returning to the couch, pulling her unwilling boyfriend with her. To give him at least a bit of what he wanted, Alice settled against his chest when they were both seated again, hearing him making an approving sound. She smiled contently at that.

* * *

**Cheeeesy :3**

**R&R! :D**


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